Another year, another Russian test done

 This week was full of Russian testing. I took the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) on Tuesday afternoon; results pending, but praying I didn't blow it down my leg. Wednesday and Thursday mornings were the Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) listening and reading, respectively. I got a 3/3 on them, the highest you can get on the lower range DLPT. I got that last year, too, while I was deployed to Africa. Frankly, I thought it was a fluke, so getting those scores again made me feel better about my proficiency. 

Then I thought: why not take the upper range reading? So that's what I did today. First off, dear reader(s), you must know that you have to have scored a 3 on the lower range before you can take the upper, as the upper only tests you from 3 to 4. For a review of what those scores mean:

R-3:  Reading 3 (General Professional Proficiency) Able to read within a normal range of speed and with almost complete comprehension a variety of authentic prose material on unfamiliar subjects. Reading ability is not dependent on subject matter knowledge, although it is not expected that the individual can comprehend thoroughly subject matter which is highly dependent on cultural knowledge or which is outside his/her general experience and not accompanied by explanation. Text-types include news stories similar to wire service reports or international news items in major periodicals, routine correspondence, general reports, and technical material in his/her professional field; all of these may include hypothesis, argumentation and supported opinions. Misreading rare. Almost always able to interpret material correctly, relate ideas and "read between the lines," (that is, understand the writers' implicit intents in text of the above types). Can get the gist of more sophisticated texts, but may be unable to detect or understand subtlety and nuance. Rarely has to pause over or reread general vocabulary. However, may experience some difficulty with unusually complex structure and low frequency idioms.

R-3+:  Reading 3+ (General Professional Proficiency, Plus) Can comprehend a variety of styles and forms pertinent to professional needs. Rarely misinterprets such texts or rarely experiences difficulty relating ideas or making inferences. Able to comprehend many sociolinguistic and cultural references. However, may miss some nuances and subtleties. Able to comprehend a considerable range of intentionally complex structures, low frequency idioms, and uncommon connotative intentions, however, accuracy is not complete. The individual is typically able to read with facility, understand, and appreciate contemporary expository, technical or literary texts which do not rely heavily on slang and unusual items.

R-4:  Reading 4 (Advanced Professional Proficiency) Able to read fluently and accurately all styles and forms of the language pertinent to professional needs. The individual's experience with the written language is extensive enough that he/she is able to relate inferences in the text to real-world knowledge and understand almost all sociolinguistic and cultural references. Able to "read beyond the lines" (that is, to understand the full ramifications of texts as they are situated in the wider cultural, political, or social environment). Able to read and understand the intent of writers' use of nuance and subtlety. The individual can discern relationships among sophisticated written materials in the context of broad experience. Can follow unpredictable turns of thought readily in, for example, editorial, conjectural, and literary texts in any subject matter area directed to the general reader. Can read essentially all materials in his/her special field, including official and professional documents and correspondence. Recognizes all professionally relevant vocabulary known to the educated non-professional native, although may have some difficulty with slang. Can read reasonably legible handwriting without difficulty. Accuracy is often nearly that of a well-educated native reader.

So...pretty hard! I'm happy with the 3s in reading and listening. Especially two years in a row. But why not try for a 3+? I had been reading a lot.

The lower range Russian reading DLPT is, IIRC, 38 or so passages and 60-ish total questions. You have 3 hours to finish it. Had no idea how the upper range was set up, but now I do: 13 passages and around 38 questions. And the same 180 minutes to finish it. And wow, certainly started out hard: it took me an hour to do the first 4 passages! 

I finished all of the passages, but I was quite lost near the end. I won't get into the specifics as I shouldn't, but if I try this again next year, I'll be reading harder and harder stuff in preparation.

Oh, I guess I should let you know what I got. You can miss every single question in the upper range and you get a 3. Because, of course, you already got a 3 in the lower range test. Let's just say I recertified my 3 today.